Tag Archives: East Rutherford

When I was in high school, the National Anthem had become passe. Sure, the sporting events that I attended played an old version on a lame sound system, but it was tradition. Unfortunately, this continued without much meaning, unless of course you were contending for a championship or title. Like standing for the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of the school day, playing the National Anthem before a sporting event is what you did.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets, Matthew 7:12.

On September 11th, 2001, I was just about to head into work when I received a delivery from UPS. Without any introduction, this man proclaimed, “the twin towers are on fire.!” Surprised, I replied, “what?” As soon as he left, I turned on the television, watching in awe. Every week I traveled up to East Rutherford, New Jersey for work, greeted by these towers in the skyline each time I arrived. A couple of weeks earlier I made a special delivery to the John Hancock building. After these two buildings fell to the ground, the tradition of the National Anthem became more than just a song. This one minute and thirty second song became a way to honor, remember and respect those who have died serving America.

One of the perks of my father’s job when I grew up in Delaware was that his company bought season tickets for the Philadelphia Flyers and Phillies. When there weren’t any clients in town to entertain, the family was able to attend games a few times a month. In 1987, my dad scored tickets to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. To inspire the crowd, Lauren Hart sang God Bless America, the song Kate Smith made famous singing at sporting events. Although the Flyers lost this game and the series 4 games to 3, I still get chills when I think about the Spectrum rocking at the end of this anthem. When you put the National Anthem, 9/11 and professional sporting events together, you get a recipe for honor, patriotism and time to pay respect to the veterans of the USA.

Shipping Wars, a reality television show on A&E debuted on January 10th, 2012. Simulating the competitive nature of this trade, I spent 2 years of my life pursuing this career back in 2000 and 2001. In order to make money, you have to be willing to spend it up front. In fact, I once made $2000 in 24 hours, driving an overnight delivery from Wilmington, Delaware to Chicago. Unfortunately, this never happened again as like most Americans, I struggled to make a living. Nonetheless, as I drove a weekly route up to East Rutherford, New Jersey, the World Trade Center was always there to greet me in the sky as I drew near. This beacon of light stood where Liberty and Church Street met.

As the summer of 2001 faded into fall, I made an emergency trip to New York City, passing the twin towers for the last time. After 9/11, lights lite up where this grand building once resided, but approaching New York was never the same. When the United States was attacked on our own soil, the pursuit of life and liberty took on an entirely new meaning. In the aftermath of this terrorist attack, churches experienced an initial awakening, packed for prayer vigils and services. More than 10 years later, church attendance is declining and liberty is under a different kind of battle, invisible to the human eye.

On the Atlantic Coast of America, most downtown areas are filled with centers for worship. The further west you travel across the fruited plains, the less this scene is repeated. As progress occurs in society, traditions tend to fall by the wayside, surpassed by modern thinking. While atheists are still trying to have the steel cross found in the Twin Towers remains removed from the 9/11 memorial, this relic is a symbol for a lost and dying world, John 3:16-17. As the Freedom Tower replaces the World Trade Center at Liberty and Church Street, may this day in history never be forgotten, especially on this Independence Day, July 4th.